Department for Transport

Electric Vehicles: Regulation

Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the draft Road Vehicles and Non-Road Mobile Machinery (Type-Approval) (Amendment and Transitional Provisions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2022 apply to any type of (1) electric bike, or (2) electric scooter; and if so, in which part.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Parts 2 (regulation 5), 3 (regulation 8) and 4 (regulation 74) of the draft Statutory Instrument apply to certain electric bikes and electric scooters (mopeds), being those which are currently in scope of compulsory type approval for L-category vehicles (powered two and three wheelers). This draft SI does not increase the scope of the existing categorisations or the existing requirement for type approval for certain electric two-wheeled vehicles.

Aviation: Carbon Emissions

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they used in the development of the Jet Zero strategy; and in gathering any such evidence, what assessment they made of the risk that sustainable aviation fuels may not have a significant impact on reducing carbon emissions in the medium term.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Jet Zero Strategy was developed considering a wide range of evidence including over 1,500 responses to the Jet Zero Consultation, launched in July 2021, and the Jet Zero: Further Technical Consultation which was published in March 2022. We received consultation responses from members of the public, and a broad spectrum of organisations including from the aviation and aerospace industries, NGOs and environmental groups. Alongside consultation responses, we considered external evidence produced domestically and internationally, including from the UK Climate Change Committee, the World Economic Forum, the International Council on Clean Transportation, the European Union, the United States and the International Civil Aviation Organization. This evidence informed policy development, as well as the modelling of four scenarios each with a different mix of technologies to illustrate alternative pathways for reaching net zero aviation by 2050. Within these scenarios, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) account for up to 10% emissions reductions in 2030, and up to 32% in 2040, demonstrating the potential impact of SAF in the medium-term. The range of scenarios modelled aims to reflect the range of potential outcomes, recognising the current early stages of development of new fuels and technologies. To support the development of a UK SAF industry, through the Jet Zero Strategy we committed to putting a SAF mandate in place with a target of at least 10% SAF in the UK jet fuel mix by 2030; and having at least five UK SAF plants under construction, supported through our £165 million advanced fuel competition. The nascent nature of decarbonisation technologies means that we do not yet know the optimal technological mix for achieving Jet Zero. We have therefore committed to reviewing our approach every five years and adapting our Strategy if necessary.

Ferries: River Mersey

Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government what role they have, if any, in the procurement of the new ferry boat for the River Mersey.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: My department has no role in the procurement of the new ferry boat for the River Mersey. This is a matter for the Liverpool City Region.

Leader of the House of Lords

Written Questions: Leader of the House of Lords

Lord Jopling: To ask the Leader of the House why Written Questions HL2182 (tabled on 5 September), HL2307 and HL2308 (tabled on 8 September) have yet to be answered.

Lord True: As Leader of the House, I have stressed that I take my responsibility to ensure all Ministers provide full, timely and accurate responses to Questions for Written Answers (QWAs) very seriously.Of the three QWAs mentioned in your question, all have now been answered. HL2182 was answered on the date you submitted this question, 8 November.HL2307 and HL2308 were delayed due to the death of Her Majesty The Queen on 8 September and were subsequently answered within the 10 working day target on 28 September.For more information on what we are doing to address late QWAs please see my previous response to you on 11 October (HL2274) and my answer to Lord Scriven (HL2615) on 27 October.

Department of Health and Social Care

Evusheld

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government whether a recommendation by Rapid C-19 is stopping the provision of Evusheld in the NHSby Christmas.

Lord Markham: The decision not to procure Evusheld at this time for prevention through emergency routes is based on independent clinical advice by the multi-agency RAPID C-19 and a national expert policy working group. This is based on a range of evidence, including clinical trial data, in vitro analysis and emerging observational studies. The Chief Medical Officer for England is content that the correct process for providing clinical advice has been followed and it has now been referred to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for further evaluation. NICE’s appraisal is expected to be completed by April 2023 and should it conclude the treatment is cost-effective, it would support deployment next year.

Evusheld

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government whether Evusheld will be available to NHS patients before Christmas.

Lord Markham: The Government has decided not to procure Evusheld for prevention through emergency routes at this time. This decision is based on independent clinical advice by the multi-agency RAPID C-19 and a United Kingdom national expert policy working group, which reflects the epidemiological context and pandemic response and recovery policies. However, we have referred Evusheld to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for evaluation, which is due in April 2023.

Evusheld

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will rule out the possibility that patients will receive a placebo in place of Evusheld.

Lord Markham: The Antivirals and Therapeutics Taskforce is exploring a potential clinical trial to gain further data on Evusheld’s efficacy. This is in addition to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s technology appraisal, which will determine the clinical and cost effectiveness. Whilst placebo-controlled trials are required to obtain data on the efficacy of a medicine, deferred doses can also be considered in a placebo-controlled trial. Participants on the placebo section of the trial can be provided with Evusheld after a period of time. However, the design of any potential trial has not yet been agreed.

Tuberculosis: Drugs

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage pharmaceutical companies, in particular Sanofi, to (1) licence, and (2) register, new medications for tuberculosis in England, in particular Rifapentine.

Lord Markham: Suppliers, such as Sanofi, will determine whether to apply for a marketing authorisation for a new medicine from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). For an authorisation to be granted for a medicine, the MHRA must receive a full marketing application from the applicant.

Tuberculosis: Drugs

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking toaddress the shortage of tuberculosis medication, in particular for the most vulnerable.

Lord Markham: The Department is aware that one supplier of rifampicin 300 milligram capsules is currently out of stock, although re-supply is expected in mid-November 2022. However, these capsules remain available from alternative suppliers. We are aware of manufacturing delays which have affected the supply of a limited number of tuberculosis medicines, which have now been resolved. Alternative products have remained available during this time.

Sickle Cell Diseases: Prescriptions

Baroness Benjamin: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) financial, and (2) health, impact of providing free prescriptions for patients with sickle cell disease.

Lord Markham: No specific assessment has been made. Approximately 89% of prescription items are currently dispensed free of charge and there are a range of exemptions from prescription charges, which those with sickle cell disease may be eligible for and already be in receipt of free prescriptions. The cost of prescriptions can be reduced by purchasing a prescription pre-payment certificate. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions for just over £2 per week. Additionally, people on a low income who do not qualify for an exemption from prescription charges can also seek support through the NHS Low Income Service, which provides assistance with health costs on an income-related basis.

Care Homes: Visits

Lord Laming: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take in response to reports that some providers of residential care services are not following government guidelines, and continue to deny residents visits by family and friends even when the home is free from all infections.

Lord Markham: The Government's guidance is clear that every resident should be able to receive at least one visitor in all circumstances. Where visiting is not being supported in line with guidance, we work with the UK Health Security Agency’s health protection teams to resolve any local issues. The Care Quality Commission can also investigate complaints and has regulatory powers to act where providers do not appropriately support people to have access to visits. We recognise that there are instances where residents are unable to receive visitors and we are therefore reviewing further options to avoid restrictions on visiting.

Sickle Cell Diseases: Prescriptions

Baroness Benjamin: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 26 October (HL2576), what steps they are taking to raise awareness of pre-payment certificates for people living with sickle cell disease.

Lord Markham: The NHS Business Service Authority promotes the availability of pre-payment certificates for all patients, including those with sickle cell disease, online and through pharmacies.

Endocrinology: Health Services

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 7 November (HL2833),what plans they have to update the service specification for specialised endocrinology services.

Lord Markham: A review of the service specification for specialised endocrinology services will be proposed in the work programme for the Internal Medicine Programme of Care for 2023/24 and will take approximately six months to complete. It is expected to conclude by autumn 2023.

Rheumatology: Health Services

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 7 November (HL2833), what plans they have to include a measurement of access to clinical psychologists as part of the Specialised Services Quality Dashboard for rheumatology services.

Lord Markham: A review of the Specialised Services Quality Dashboard for specialised rheumatology services will be undertaken as part of the review of the service specification. The Specialised Rheumatology Clinical Reference Group will provide advice to NHS England on the most appropriate metrics to allow assessment of the quality of rheumatology services.

Palliative Care

Lord Balfe: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer byLord Kamall on 8 September (HL Deb, col 272), whether they will provide an update on the progress ofcommissioning an independent review into the causes of disputes between those with parental responsibility and those responsible for the care or medical treatment of critically ill children.

Lord Markham: The Department is currently examining the commissioning process for the review and further information will be available in due course.

Evusheld

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with experts in any of the 32 countries using Evusheld on their real time testing and trials.

Lord Markham: The Antivirals and Therapeutics Taskforce regularly engages with international partners on the use, deployment and evaluation of therapeutics and antivirals, including Evusheld. This includes discussions with the United States Food and Drug Administration on its recent treatment guidelines which state that emerging Omicron sub-variants are likely to be resistant to Evusheld.

Department for Education

Oak National Academy

Lord Strathcarron: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of (1) their relationship with Oak National Academy, and (2) the ways in which students are taught about (a) society, and (b) history, through the National Curriculum.

Lord Strathcarron: To ask His Majesty's Government how much money they have spent on Oak National Academy; and what assessment they have made of the effects of that spending on the private academic publishing sector.

Baroness Barran: As set out in Oak National Academy’s Framework Agreement, Oak will be operationally independent from the department. The department will not prescribe or approve the content of curriculum packages or educational resources. Oak’s resources will be created independently, will be free to access and non-compulsory for schools to use, and evidence based. In creating curriculum packages and educational resources, Oak will ensure alignment with the national curriculum, and have due regard to the department’s non-statutory curriculum guidance.Citizenship forms a core part of the statutory national curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4 and primary schools can choose to teach citizenship at Key Stages 1 and 2, following the non-statutory framework for citizenship. The citizenship curriculum provides a rigorous framework for pupils to explore complex concepts and issues facing society.History is also part of the national curriculum from Key Stages 1 to 3 and is included in the English Baccalaureate suite of GCSE subjects for Key Stage 4. The department is developing a Model History Curriculum which is a non-statutory guidance document to support the national curriculum and the teaching of a high quality, knowledge rich and diverse history curriculum. The guidance will be published in 2024.The department does not prescribe how these subjects should be taught but we expect schools to develop a curriculum that meets the need of their pupils.The department made £4.84 million available for Oak both for the summer term of the academic year 2019/20, and then for the 2020/21 academic year, to provide video lessons in a broad range of subjects for Reception up to Year 11. In the 2022/23 financial year, a total of £9.8 million has been budgeted for Oak. Part of this £9.8 million of funding was allocated through the Grant Funding Agreement, which enabled Oak National Academy to maintain its activity prior to becoming an Arm’s Length Body (ALB). The government has set aside up to £43 million over the next three years to support Oak National Academy, a significant proportion of which is expected to be provided directly to schools, publishers, and other organisations for the creation of resources.As an integral part of the process to set up Oak as an ALB, with close regard to Cabinet Office guidance, the department produced a business case that included an assessment of potential market impact. This business case was published on GOV.UK on 1 November at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oak-national-academy-business-case. Monitoring market impact will be a priority throughout Oak National Academy’s lifetime and will be factored into the body’s ongoing evaluation and two-year review.

Treasury

Mortgages: Cost of Living

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings they have held with this year with representatives from the mortgage lending industry regarding the increased cost of living and its impact.

Baroness Penn: Treasury Ministers and officials are regularly in contact with lenders on all aspects of their mortgage business to understand their position and current lending conditions. This includes recent discussions on the impact that the increased cost of living is having on mortgage borrowers and the support that lenders have in place should a mortgage borrower fall into financial difficulty. It is worth noting that, if a mortgage borrower falls into financial difficulty, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government has also taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest loans for those in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts through the Pre-Action Protocol, which makes it clear that repossession must always be the last resort for lenders. More broadly, the Government has announced £37 billion of support for the cost of living this financial year. In addition to the Energy Price Guarantee, millions of the most vulnerable households will receive £1,200 of support this year, with additional support for pensioners and those claiming disability benefits.

Bank Services: Disadvantaged

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of adults in England and Wales who cannot acquire or deposit cash due to a lack of access to debit cards or the internet.

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the access to cash withdrawal or deposit facilities for those in the two lowest socio-economic groups.

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with banks and building societies to ensure the future availability of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities.

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of powers by the Financial Conduct Authority to ensure the continued availability of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities in the UK.

Baroness Penn: To ensure access to cash is protected, the government is currently taking legislation through Parliament as part of the Financial Services and Markets Bill. Following a public consultation, the Bill will establish the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the lead regulator for access to cash and provide it with appropriate powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of withdrawal and deposit facilities. In exercising its powers, the FCA must have regard to any local deficiencies in the provision of cash access that it has identified and considers to be significant. The government’s view is that this will allow for consideration of local circumstances in all parts of the UK, and will help ensure the most vulnerable are protected. Further details about the Bill can be found on the Parliament website. This Bill builds on the government’s longstanding commitment to safeguard financial inclusion across the UK, including via the provision of basic bank accounts. Existing legislation requires the nine largest personal current account providers in the UK to provide basic bank accounts, so customers are equipped with a bank card and can access banking and payment services. The FCA has a considerable evidence base on cash provision and use across the UK. Analysis that was published by the FCA in February 2020 found that 5.4 million people are still reliant on cash. Meanwhile, the FCA’s analysis shows that, as of the end of 2021, over 95% of the population are within two kilometres of a free-to-use cash access point, such as a free-to-use ATM, bank branch or Post Office branch. Finally, Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available on the gov.uk website.

Financial Markets: Government Assistance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the financial markets this winter.

Baroness Penn: The Government actively monitors financial markets and any risks to financial stability. It will continue to work closely with regulators, including the Bank of England, the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority, to monitor potential risks and support resilience within the financial sector.

Debts: Zambia

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the recent loan provided by the International Monetary Fund to the country of Zambia, what discussions, if any, they have had with (1) the government of China, and (2) private western lenders, about cancelling debt owed by the government of Zambia.

Baroness Penn: Zambia is one of three countries to have requested a debt treatment under the Common Framework. The Common Framework was agreed in November 2020 by the UK, along with the G20 and Paris Club, to help deliver a long-term, sustainable approach for supporting low-income countries to tackle their debt vulnerabilities. Following agreement by the IMF Board of a new $1.3 billion reform programme, it is a Government priority to work with our G20 partners, including China, to make swift progress on Zambia’s debt treatment and we are a full participant in multilateral discussions on this issue. The Government also routinely engages private creditors on international debt issues and is focused on ensuring private creditors fully play their part in Zambia’s debt treatment.

Pay: Inflation

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what economic assessment they (1) have undertaken, and (2) plan to undertake, regarding the decline in real wages, given the increase in inflation.

Baroness Penn: Nominal total pay growth is strong, 6.0% (including bonuses) in the Q3 of this year. Rising global energy prices exacerbated by Putin’s war, combined with supply chain disruptions stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, has driven price inflation up in the UK and across Europe. Adjusting for CPI inflation, real wages fell by 3.7% in Q3. We will continue to monitor indicators of wage growth and inflation. The government remains committed to tackling low pay. From 1 April 2023, the National Living Wage (NLW) will increase by 9.7% to £10.42 an hour for workers aged 23 and over, in line with the government’s ambitious target for the NLW to reach two-thirds of median earnings by 2024, and for the age threshold to be lowered to those aged 21 and over. This represents an increase of over £1,600 to the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the NLW and is expected to benefit over 2 million low paid workers. Young people and apprentices on the National Minimum Wage (NMW) will also see a boost to their wages.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Development Aid: Health Services

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with countries receiving official development assistance (ODA) for sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK is proud to defend and promote universal and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) internationally, including by using official development assistance (ODA) to support countries to deliver comprehensive SRHR for all.SRHR is a core part of our dialogue with partner countries, as laid out in the FCDO Action Plan on ending preventable deaths of mothers, babies and children by 2030, published in Dec 2021. Additionally, the UK supports the global partnership on family planning, FP2030, to encourage dialogue with countries on leadership on family planning and build more integrated and resilient family planning systems.

Development Aid

Baroness Hussein-Ece: To ask His Majesty's Government what their financial contributions were to (1) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), (2) UNICEF, (3) UNAIDS, (4) WHO, (5) UN Women, (6) The Global Fund, and (7) International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20, and (c) 2020-21.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Table 1 shows UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the form of core contributions to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, for the period 2018 to 2020. Additionally, the UK uses these multilateral organisations as a delivery partner for bilateral aid ("multi-bi" ODA), except for UNAIDS.The International Planned Parenthood Federation is an international NGO to which the UK provided £5million of bilateral funding in 2018, £35million in 2019 and £49million in 2020, as set out in Table 2.Table 1 - UK ODA: Core Contributions to Selected Multilateral Organisations (2018-2020, £million)Organisation201820192020United Nations Population Fund202020United Nations Children's Fund484848Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS151515World Health Organisation: voluntary contribution30355World Health Organisation: assessed contribution131313United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women131313Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria360370476Table 2 - UK ODA: Bilateral ODA to International Planned Parenthood Federation (2018-2020, £million)Programme Title201820192020Women's Integrated Sexual Health Programme53347Approaches in complex and challenging environments for sustainable sexual and reproductive health and rights (ACCESS) 11Preventing Recourse to Unsafe Abortion - supporting locally led initiatives (SAAF) 11Source: Statistics on International Development 2020

African Union

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the African Union as an organisation, and (2) the work it undertakes.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The African Union (AU) is Africa's foremost multilateral body and a key strategic partner for many UK priorities. We collaborate effectively across a range of issues such as peace and security, climate change, global health and trade. This includes supporting the AU on the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the AU's Green Recovery Action Plan and funding £20 million to the AU's Covid-19 Response Fund. The AU plays an important role in regional stability and we are grateful for the role the African Union played in brokering the Cessation of Hostilities agreement between the Ethiopian Government and Tigray People's Liberation Front on 2 November.

Tigray: Humanitarian Situation

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the situation in Tigray.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We welcome the recent agreement between the Ethiopian Government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front to end the conflict in northern Ethiopia. The agreement provides for unfettered humanitarian access and for the resumption of essential basic services. The humanitarian situation in Tigray remains very serious. According to the UN approximately 5.4 million people require life-saving aid and hundreds of thousands are on the brink of famine.

Democracy and Human Rights

Lord Naseby: To ask His Majesty's Government why they have not yet published the Human Rights and Democracy Report 2021.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We intend to publish the FCDO's 2021 Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report in due course.

Refugee Convention

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to withdraw from (1) the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and (2) the 1966 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees; and if they have any such plans, what assessment they have made of the need for replacement legislation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government does not have plans to withdraw from the Refugee Convention and its Protocol.

Şebnem Korur Fincancı

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Turkey about the arrest of the head of the Turkish Doctors Union, Dr Sebnem Korur Fincanci.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have long encouraged Turkey to work towards the full protection of fundamental rights, particularly in the area of freedom of expression and we continue to monitor developments on this case closely. We look to Turkey, as a modern democracy, to undertake any legal processes against its citizens fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law.

Iran: Demonstrations

Baroness Redfern: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will seek a UN investigation into the recent killing of protestors in Iran.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to working with international partners to hold Iran to account for its persistent violations of human rights and violent repression of legitimate protests. This includes through the full range of multilateral fora, including the UN Human Rights Council, UN Security Council, G7 and the UN General Assembly Third Committee. We continue to support the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran Human Rights and have co-sponsored his mandate each year.The UK supports holding a Special Session of the Human Rights Council on 24 November, and will be seeking a strong UN mandate to establish an investigative mechanism into the human rights violations currently taking place in Iran.

Iran: Demonstrations

Baroness Redfern: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to work with international allies to increase (1) diplomatic, and (2) economic, pressure to respond to the government of Iran's handling of the protests in that country; and what representations they are making to the government of Iran regarding the response by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK works closely with our international partners to challenge the Iranian regime's violent repression of protests in Iran. The issue was discussed at the November G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting and we have put pressure on Iran through the United Nations, including the Human Rights Council, Security Council and General Assembly Third Committee. On Monday 14 November, the UK and the EU announced coordinated sanctions against various Iranian officials for their part in the violent repression of protests in Iran. This followed the sanctioning on Monday 10 September of the 'so called' Morality Police, its senior leadership, and several other security officials involved in the repression of protestors. Through our words and actions, the UK will continue to hold the Iranian regime to account for its repression of women and girls and the violence inflicted on the Iranian people.

Department for Work and Pensions

Pension Credit

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government whatare the (1) average, and (2) longest, delays being experienced by pensioners applying for pension credit for applications made (a) in late April, and (b) subsequently.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: We currently aim to process claims within 35 days from receipt, although following the successful launch of our campaign to increase take up of Pension Credit, we have received an unprecedented number of claims, which has resulted in average processing increasing. We are processing claims as quickly as possible and streamlining our processes, as well as increasing our staffing resources, which has resulted in the outstanding claims reducing considerably. All successful claims and arrears are paid accordingly to ensure no one misses out.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Water: Colne Valley Regional Park

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the water sources within the Colne Valley are now designated as having a poor chemical statusbecause ofthe deterioration of the Blackford source; and on what date this designation changed.

Lord Benyon: The Colne (confluence with the Chess to Thames) water body's chemical status deteriorated from Good in 2016, to Fail in 2019. This was due to the incorporation in the testing regime of two priority hazardous substances which were not previously classified. These are Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) and Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) which were classified as 'Fail' in 2019, resulting in the water body chemical status change. The chemical status change is not linked to the status of the Blackford Pumping Station. The 2019 river classification for chemicals reflected a change in the methods used to classify English water bodies to more accurately report the presence of certain chemicals that do not break down easily in the environment. The Environment Agency is working with a range of partners in England to reduce inputs at source and to better understand the impact on the environment from highly persistent chemicals.

Home Office

Asylum: Hotels

Baroness Sugg: To ask His Majesty's Government how many hotel rooms have been booked per month for (1) refugees, and (2) asylum seekers, for this calendar year; and what was the average cost of those bookings.

Baroness Sugg: To ask His Majesty's Government what share ofthe costs for hotel rooms booked for refugees and asylum seekers relate to the first 12 months after arrival.

Baroness Sugg: To ask His Majesty's Government, in relation to the first 12 months of costs for (1) refugees, and (2) asylum seekers, what was the cost incurred for the first six months of this calendar year; and what estimate they have made of the costs incurred for the second six months of this calendar year.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The significant increase in dangerous journeys across the Channel is placing unprecedented strain on our asylum system and it has made it necessary to continue to use hotels to accommodate some asylum seekers. The use of hotels is a short-term solution and we are working hard with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation.There are currently more than 37,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £5.6 million a day. Occupancy levels vary and the number of people flowing through contingency hotel accommodation in any one month is not recorded.

Seasonal Workers

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to assist seasonal workers whose contracts are terminated early, (2) to prevent brokerage fees from being levied in seasonal workers' home countries, and (3) to support unemployed seasonal workers to find work in agricultural labour jobs or other sectors.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Seasonal Worker scheme operators are responsible for managing all aspects of the recruitment and placement of workers on UK farms and ensuring their welfare in the UK. This includes ensuring ethical recruitment practices, in line with Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority regulations; arranging a new employer if the worker requires it; and ensuring that workers are fully supported throughout their stay.The Home Office closely monitors the scheme operators to ensure they are complying with their sponsor duties. Together with Defra, the Home Office also maintains regular contact with operators to ensure they adhere to requirements for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of seasonal workers. Non-compliance with the relevant guidance could result in the revocation of their sponsor licence.Scheme operators must also be licensed by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority who, supported by the Home Office, are working with overseas agencies to prevent abuse of the system and educate workers about their rights in the UK, including not paying recruitment fees.

Independent Anti-slavery Commissioner: Public Appointments

Baroness Butler-Sloss: To ask His Majesty's Government why an IndependentAnti-slavery Commissioner has not been appointed in accordance with section 40(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The role of the Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) as set out in the 2015 Modern Slavery Act is to encourage good practice in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of slavery and human trafficking offences and the identification of victims.The process to recruit a new IASC follows the principles set out within the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments which can be found on GOV.UK.A decision on the appointment is under consideration.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Planning Permission: Climate Change

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to send letters to local authoritiesemphasising the importance of addressing climate change in all planning decisions.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government has made clear in the National Planning Policy Framework that the planning system should support the transition to a low carbon future in a changing climate. The Framework is a material consideration in planning decisions. The Government has committed in the Net Zero Strategy to review national planning policy to make sure it contributes to climate change mitigation and adaptation as fully as possible. We recognise that local authorities can, and do, play an essential role in driving local climate action and we are working closely with them to provide support to help them contribute to delivering net zero.

Department for International Trade

Overseas Trade: Pakistan

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) tools, and (2) criteria, the Department for International Trade will use to monitor Pakistan's compliance with the human rights and labour provisions of the Developing Countries Trading Scheme.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The government believes that secure and growing trading relationships can enable open conversations with partners on a range of issues, including human rights and labour rights. At the same time, the Government is committed to working with international partners and businesses to ensure global supply chains are free from the use of modern slavery and other human rights abuses.Countries - including Pakistan - that will benefit from the Developing Countries Trading Scheme may have preferences suspended if they have engaged in serious and systematic violations of human rights and labour rights contained in 16 international conventions. The tools to monitor compliance may include reports from international convention bodies, reports produced by international organisations and reporting from the Government’s diplomatic network. The criteria the Government may consider include the nature, scale, impact, frequency and pattern of violations.